Turkoglu at the heart of Raptors' issues

A good article from the National Post. With the exception of last weeks game against the Magic, Turk has struggled with Numero Ocho back in the lineup. Is it simply because he is not getting enough touches and control of the ball? Whatever it is, both the coaching staff and Turk need to figure it out. The Dinos need him to pick it up if they want to continue winning.

Turkoglu, however, knows that what he is doing isn't good enough. He's just not sure he can change it.

"The way I play, I've never been a selfish guy," said Turkoglu after the game. "I'm just trying to play as hard as I can, and get myself going.

"If I have the ball, I can be more creative with it ... For me, I'm running on the side and expecting to be a spot-up guy - you know, it's hard for me."

In other words, Turkoglu was used to having the offence run through him in Orlando, and that's happening less in the land of Jose Calderon and Jarrett Jack. So while he is actually shooting a higher percentage than he did with the Magic - 42.5%, versus 41.3% on last year's Finals team in Orlando - Turkoglu feels like he is watching too much, waiting for the ball, and then trying a little too often to be a player that he is not.

"I can't really go and grab the ball from Jose or Jack's hands," said the soft-spoken forward. "I respect those guys - they're great players. And they're used to running the team too.

"It's new team, new coach, new system, new players. But it's been three months - I can't keep telling what I did in the past. So I want people to know that I'm limited, too. I try to do my best, but you can be just limited."

I thought life would be as easy playing with Chris Bosh like it was with Dwight Howard but it's not turning out to be that way. They don't just give me the ball here, I have to ask for it and I'm kinda shy, so I just try to stand in the corner and not get in peoples way...I respect people.

But Chris Bosh isn't half the player Dwight Howard is. Bosh is a finesse player, Bargnani is a finesse player who plays like a guard. Moreover, Bargnani never commands a double team which is the most crucial part of the pivot game.

Turkoglu is left to create for himself under duress or catch and shoot treys. NOT HIS GAME. The raptors have a big problem. Either get rid of Calderon or Turkoglu. Someone HAS TO GO. THey cannot coexist. Sorry.

Hedo Apparently Wants the Ball More Often

"The way I play, I've never been a selfish guy," said Turkoglu after the game. "I'm just trying to play as hard as I can, and get myself going.

"If I have the ball, I can be more creative with it ... For me, I'm running on the side and expecting to be a spot-up guy - you know, it's hard for me."

In other words, Turkoglu was used to having the offence run through him in Orlando, and that's happening less in the land of Jose Calderon and Jarrett Jack. So while he is actually shooting a higher percentage than he did with the Magic - 42.5%, versus 41.3% on last year's Finals team in Orlando - Turkoglu feels like he is watching too much, waiting for the ball, and then trying a little too often to be a player that he is not.

"I can't really go and grab the ball from Jose or Jack's hands," said the soft-spoken forward. "I respect those guys - they're great players. And they're used to running the team too.

"It's new team, new coach, new system, new players. But it's been three months - I can't keep telling what I did in the past. So I want people to know that I'm limited, too. I try to do my best, but you can be just limited."

The guy seems as though he is 40 years old. He doesn't even have the ability to run but I guess that's what Pizza and Sprite can do to ya

With the amount of money he's making, you'd think he could afford a treadmill and get into shape.

Seriously though, I have been very disappointed with his performance so far. Triano and Co., Turk, the players all need to figure out a way to get him more involved in running the offense. At the same time, Turk has to stop jacking up bad shots and needs to start getting more aggressive at attacking the rim.

I don't want to simplify things, but having Ocho and Turk on the same team doesn't help either-too redundant. BC needs to decide which one he wants to keep (or get more value for) and trade the other.

"I would like to see him have the ball a little bit more too," Triano, the Raptors coach, said. "We have to find a way to get him involved a little bit more maybe.

Wow ... I guess we know what Triano thinks ... and how committed he is to giving Hedo Turkoglu more touches.

"I look at the fact we are one of the top scoring teams in the NBA," Triano said.

"Is it too early in the season to panic? Absolutely. Turk makes great plays. On (Sunday), he did not have a great game offensively and he still had nine assists. He took nine shots. That's 18 times he had the ball. "Does he want it more? Yes. Does everybody? Yes."

So, nothing is going to change on this score ... great news, isn't it?

excuse me!!!!!!!!!!!! how can you insult hedo like that.... i mean he's a way lot more better than anyone else...!!!!!!!!!!! he's just having a hard time to cooperate with bosh and the others as well...

excuse me!!!!!!!!!!!! how can you insult hedo like that.... i mean he's a way lot more better than anyone else...!!!!!!!!!!! he's just having a hard time to cooperate with bosh and the others as well...

I think he's very skilled and outside of Bosh and Bargnani there is no one else better on the team. I think his problem is Calderon. Not Calderon the person but how Calderon approaches the game. Hedo needs the ball and he can't get it enough when he's playing with a PG who dominates the ball. Heading into last summer Colangelo said they needed a guy on the wing who could break down defenses one on one. He went out and got one but the coaching staff is failing him because they're not using him properly.